


Sands in the Hourglass

by LadyLasa



Category: Free!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Splash Free, Crossover between Canon verse and Splash Free, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-06-22
Updated: 2015-08-02
Packaged: 2018-04-05 13:36:27
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,104
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4181799
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyLasa/pseuds/LadyLasa
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Prince Matsuoka had been enamored with the wanderer from the moment they met, planning out a way to remain together. Tradition dictated that he should marry royalty, but that was merely a suggestion in his mind. Then again, marriage had never really interested him. His closest friend and the Captain of his guard only had his best interests at heart, but his methods leave much to be desired. Instead of simply warning the traveler, he sent him away to an unknown land where he couldn't interfere with the prince's life any longer.</p><p>There are complications with magic, though, and when someone is sent to a place where they already exist, then concessions must be made. One afternoon after swim practice, Haru finds himself in a foreign alleyway instead of the Iwatobi High School locker room. With only the people who look like his friends to help, he has to find his way back, hopefully before his counterpart does too much damage.</p><p>Or - Swim club Haru and Splash Free Haru switch places and try to find their way home.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I know I have another fic to go with A Thousand Smiles planned, and I still haven't finished Waiting for Darkness, but this idea hit me today and wouldn't leave me alone. Opinions are greatly appreciated!

He’d lost track of how long he’d been running, not even daring to look back. There was no chance that they hadn’t pursued him, but he could only hope that he had enough of a head start to evade capture again. The stone pathways were hot beneath his bare feet, one hand grasping the hilt of his dagger, but he couldn’t focus on discomfort; escape was his priority.

The streets were familiar to him, and he took frequent turns, often running down the same street again just to try to throw them off his trail. If he could just keep his freedom until sunset, then he could escape into the desert. He knew its secrets, and few would dare to follow him into the unforgiving sands.

Two figures blocked his path as he raced down an alleyway, causing him to halt abruptly, but as he turned to head back the way he’d come, more guards blocked the exit. Turning to the side to keep both groups in view, he frantically searched for a way out, but one of the guards stepped into view, drawing his attention.

“I’m surprised you managed to get this far.” He recognized the man as one of the Prince’s closest advisors, as well as the Captain of the Guard. “Did you really think I’d let you get in his way?”

“You’re making a mistake.” Blue eyes narrowed, his grip tightening on the dagger’s hilt as he continued. “I would never do anything to harm him. You know that as well as I do.”

The Captain ignored him, gesturing towards the shadows, and a robed figure stepped forth, its features hidden by the hood. Just the sight of it sent a wave of icy fear through his veins. Drawing his dagger, he stepped back until he felt the solid building behind him, his breath coming in harsh gasps as he heard the first few words of an incantation.

He darted further down the alley, opting to face the pair of guards rather than their captain and the others, but he only made it two steps before the ground fell out from under him.

* * *

 

Haru stayed behind after practice while the rest of the team headed towards the locker rooms, even though the clouds threatened rain at any second. There was still enough time for another few laps, and maybe even a minute or two to just float along and relax. As long as there wasn’t any lightning, he’d be fine.

A crash of thunder put an end to that plan, and he headed towards the edge of the pool, hauling himself out of the water before joining his friends. They were almost finished by the time he stepped into the showers, but he knew that Makoto would wait for him outside. Rei and Nagisa probably would too.

After a moment of debate, he opted for a pair of dry jammers and his Iwatobi warmup suit; he didn’t particularly want to get back into his full school uniform this late in the day. He finished tying his shoes and stood, swaying on his feet slightly as dizziness overtook him. With one hand on the lockers, the other held his forehead, trying to force his vision to clear, but it was useless. Everything was spinning, bringing with it an overwhelming sense of nausea, and he squeezed his eyes shut as he somehow convinced his lunch to remain in his stomach.

When he fell, it wasn’t the cool floor of the locker room that met him; it was the sun-warmed bricks of an alley that was just starting to darken with the oncoming dusk. Groaning, he sat up and leaned back against the exterior wall of the building beside him, his head slowly clearing as he took deep, steadying breaths.

Opening his eyes, he took in his surroundings. Nothing was familiar, not even the smell of the marketplace and too many people, which had replaced the cool ocean air of Iwatobi. His pulse raced as he failed to get his bearings, his hand shaking when he braced it against the wall to bring himself to his feet. Maybe he’d fallen asleep in the locker room, and this was just some elaborate dream, complete with all of the sensory details that would come with the new location. That had to be it.

Haru cautiously made his way to the mouth of the alley, glancing around at the merchants covering up various stalls, and he jumped back when a pair of small goats ran past him. It didn’t make any sense, and he pinched his arm in an attempt to make himself awaken to no avail. Someone slipped something into his lunch, and it took a while to hit him. This was just a hallucination.

“Haruka!”

The voice that hissed his name was familiar, but it held an urgency that he’d seldom heard in it. Snapping his gaze to his left, he breathed a sigh of relief. The other man was dressed as one of the merchants, but there was no mistaking the concern in his gentle, green eyes.

“Makoto,” he breathed, bracing himself against the wall for support.

“What are you doing out here?” Makoto asked, guiding him back into the alley as he looked around to ensure they hadn’t been seen. “And what on Earth are you wearing?” He shook his head quickly. “Never mind. It’s not important. You have to get out of here before they find out that you’re in the city.” He paused, looking Haru over as he weighed their options. “No, wait. The prince has probably already heard the news by now, and he probably thinks you’ve abandoned him.”

“Makoto, wait,” Haru said, pulling away from him. This definitely wasn’t the Makoto he knew. “What are you talking about?”

“Oh no, they’ve erased your memories, too.” Makoto’s expression turned sad, but determination set in barely a second later. “We can find a way to fix it. For now, we’ll need to sneak you back into the palace so the prince knows you didn’t just run off. Come on. I know someone who can help us.”

More questions flooded his mind, but Makoto pulled him along through the alley, and all he could do was follow. He had no idea where they were going, knowing only that he had to cling to the only piece of familiarity that seemed present in this place.

* * *

 

A strange scent filled his nostrils when he was finally able to register his surroundings, and he pulled himself up straight as he checked himself for injuries. Everything seemed to be in place, but he didn’t dare sheath his dagger before he determined exactly where they’d sent him. Strange metal cabinets lined the wall, and the humidity from the standing baths still clouded the air as he crept through the room, his lips turning in a small frown.

“Haru-chan?”

The voice startled him at first, but he relaxed once recognition set in. The greeting was as strange as the room around him, but at least he knew its owner. His weapon remained in his hand, though, survival instinct overriding the comfort of familiarity. He couldn’t lower his guard, not yet.

“Haru-chan,” the voice called again, closer this time. “Rei and Nagisa had to catch their train, but I told them I’d wait for you. Are you almost ready to go?”

His brow furrowed in confusion, but he said nothing, searching for a suitable place to hide as he heard approaching footsteps. Ducking around the corner into the showers, he adjusted the scarf over his face and tightened his grip on his dagger. Just because the voice sounded like his friend, it didn’t mean that it was truly an ally.

The figure who rounded the corner into the room was identical to his closest friend, but there was no chance that they were the same person. The same green eyes searched the room, and he shrank back further out of view. As the footsteps grew nearer, his muscles tensed. The last thing he wanted to do was fight the man, but he couldn’t allow himself to be captured again. This could all be an elaborate ruse that the enchanter had summoned.

He waited until the figure stepped into the showers to strike, easily catching the other by surprise, and it took only a handful of seconds for him to pin the man against the wall on the floor, the sharpened blade pressed against the skin of his throat. Blue eyes stared into green, searching for answers that weren’t forthcoming, but despite the fear he saw, he didn’t release him.

“What…?” was all his captive was able to say before he silenced him by pressing the dagger a little more.

“Where am I?” he demanded.

“I.. Iwatobi!” his prisoner said quickly. “What do you want? I don’t have much money, but I-”

“Silence unless you’re answering my questions,” he snapped. “Who are you?”

“Tachibana Makoto. I go to school here.”

“Impossible,” he said evenly. The desperation in the other’s voice led credibility to his response, but it was difficult to believe. “I’ve known Tachibana since we were children. You look like him, but that’s where the similarities end.”

“Haru?” Makoto asked quietly, confusion and hurt in his eyes. “Is that you? Why are you doing this?”

“You’ll call me Nanase unless you want me to cut out your tongue.”

He waited another moment before standing, returning the weapon to the sheath at his hip, but his gaze remained locked on the stranger with his friend’s face as he took a single step back. This was all wrong. Wherever the hell this “Iwatobi” was, it was certainly far from his home, and he had no intentions of staying here any longer than necessary.

“You’re going to help me find my way back,” Haruka said. “There has to be someone here who has enough magic knowledge to accomplish that.” When Makoto didn’t move, his impatience grew. “Get up.”

Maybe his command was harsher than it needed to be, but he wanted to ensure that this Makoto knew that he was in charge of the situation. He wouldn’t tolerate deception or defiance. If that meant that he had to use threats to get the desired results, then so be it.

* * *

 

“I can’t believe that he would just leave like that,” the prince said, shaking his head as he sank down onto the mattress. “It isn’t like him at all. He would have at least said something.”

“You put too much faith in him, Your Majesty,” the Captain said. The glare he received told him that he’d overstepped his bounds, and he lowered his gaze in apology. “Rumors have been circulating for weeks about a stranger seeking access to your wealth. Perhaps there was enough truth to them, and he feared discovery. If I may be so bold, it may be better this way.”

“You know that I value your advice,” the prince said. “But you don’t know Haruka. He wouldn’t betray me like that. Even if that was his original intention, I know him well enough to know that it isn’t what he wants now.”

“You’re allowing your emotions to cloud your judgment.”

“And you’re allowing our friendship to cloud yours,” he countered. “I am still your prince, and you will follow my commands.” Rising, he crossed the room and rested a hand on the Captain’s shoulder, scarlet eyes burning with determination. “Find him, Sousuke. I will not tolerate disobedience or failure.”

“Of course, Your Majesty.”

His shoulders slumped as Sousuke departed, and he made his way out to the balcony. Resting his forearms on the railing, he stared up at the sea of stars, searching for anything that might bring Haruka back to him. The light speckling the night sky offered no answers, though, and Rin lowered his gaze as he headed back inside.


	2. Chapter 2

“Explain how this is going to help me return home,” Haruka demanded as he examined the interior of the house. Makoto’s assurances had done little to ease the tension, but nervous smiles were chipping away at his determination to remain on guard. There were enough similarities between this Makoto and the one from his own realm that it was almost easy to pretend that they were the same person.

There were, however, enough differences. This Makoto seemed more carefree than the merchant with whom Haruka had grown, and he wondered yet again how things could have gone so wrong. The unfamiliarity of many of the items in the house was proof enough of that, and he ran his fingertips across the surface of the kitchen counter.

“I’m going to call the rest of the team,” Makoto said, keeping his movements slow and deliberate in an attempt to avoid a repeat of their first encounter as he withdrew his phone. “Maybe they can help figure out how you got here and how to fix this. Is that okay, Nanase?”

It was strange referring to Haru by his last name, but he reminded himself that while this man might look like his best friend, they were definitely not the same. The curt nod that he received was familiar, though, and he smile a little awkwardly as he made the calls. It was easy enough to convince Rei and Nagisa to meet at Haru’s house – all he had to do was tell them it was a team meeting – but talking Rin into making the trip from Samezuka with no notice was a little more difficult.

“Look, something’s wrong with Haru,” he said, lowering his voice as he moved into the next room. “He’s not really himself right now, and I really need your help with this.”

“Haru is just being Haru,” Rin said. “Drop him in the bath and tell him I’ll come see him tomorrow. It’s almost curfew, Makoto. I might be able to sneak out, but getting back in would be a pain in the ass.”

“This is really important, Rin,” Makoto pressed. “I know we all have classes in the morning, but I’m not joking when I say something is really, really _wrong_ with him. Can you come over for a little while, at least? Please?”

“I can practically feel you trying to give me those puppy-dog eyes over the phone,” Rin said before letting out a sigh that told Makoto that he’d won. “Fine. I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

Relief flooded through him as he dropped his phone back into his pocket and returned to the kitchen, pausing in the doorway to watch as Haruka carefully examined the different items that interested him. Makoto still felt like he was a stranger, though, and despite the other’s familiarl, impassive expression, he knew without a doubt that this was definitely not the Haru he knew. Setting a smile on his face, he continued into the kitchen, but he kept his distance when he spoke.

“The guys will be here soon,” he said. “I’m sure that between all of us, we can find a way to get you home.”

“Do you live here?” Haruka asked, staring at the contents of the refrigerator.

“No,” Makoto said. “Haru… The Haru that I know, lives here. I live down the hill a little ways, with my parents and the twins.”

He received another short nod, but no further questions came. Makoto took the opportunity to study him, trying to place his unusual attire and mannerisms with minimal success. Nanase was an enigma, even more so than most people found Haru, and Makoto could only hope that their friends would be able to help him figure this out.

Nagisa and Rei arrived first, and by that time, Makoto had managed to coax Haruka into the main room of the house. Haruka refused to sit, though, offering a glare at the suggestion before continuing his inspections. With a sigh, Makoto chose not to argue, and he led his other teammates into the kitchen to converse in private.

“Where did he get that costume?” Nagisa asked, peering around the corner before Makoto dragged him back.

“I don’t think it’s a costume,” Rei said before Makoto could answer. “Judging by the way he’s carefully examining everything as if he’s never seen anything like it before, I believe that might be the case. If he’s not our friend, then who is he?”

“He’s Haru,” Makoto said. “But he’s not the Haru we know. I don’t know how to explain it, but they have to be the same person. We’ve known each other almost our whole lives, and there are little things that only Haru does. They’re subtle, but there’s no way that it isn’t him.”

“So, he and our Haru-chan got switched?” Nagisa asked.

“It’s unlikely, but theoretically, it’s possible,” Rei said. “There are plenty of studies on the possibility of other dimensions, and while there is little actual evidence of such, we can’t dismiss it altogether.”

Another knock at the door pulled them from their conversation, and the trio returned to the main room. Haruka still seemed suspicious of them, but Makoto moved to his side before nodding to Nagisa to open the door. Out of the three of them, Makoto had to believe that he had the best chance of keeping Haruka calm, although he’d admit that he wasn’t nearly as confident in that ability as he would have liked.

“My Prince…” The whisper was almost in audible, but Makoto followed his gaze to watch Rin enter the house. Those two words were filled with the same awe and reverence that Haru usually reserved for water, and Makoto looked at him again just to be sure he hadn’t imagined it. Haruka’s expression matched his tone before it shifted to one of rage, blue eyes narrowing as he swiftly drew the dagger at his hip. “ _You!_ ”

His glare settled on Sousuke, who regarded him with confusion as his gaze flicked to the weapon, and panic seized Makoto. With reflexes honed from years of stopping his best friend from risking arrest for public indecency around any form of water, Makoto caught his arm a split second before Haruka tried to lunge forward.

“You did this!” Haruka screamed. “Why, Yamazaki? Why couldn’t you leave us alone?!”

For almost a full minute, no one spoke, and a stunned silence joined the heavy tension in the air. Makoto had seen Haru angry only one or two times before in all of the years he’d known him, but never had he seen such unmasked fury, and he was fully convinced that if he released his grip in the slightest, then Haruka would be across the room in an instant to end Sousuke’s life. The unease that settled in his gut was more than the simple nerves that came with the dark; this was fear for the safety of everyone close to him. Haru might have a sharp tongue when upset, but _this_ Haruka was dangerous.

“What the hell are you talking about?” Rin was the first to recover, and his surprise turned to an annoyance that hid his concern as scarlet eyes narrowed and snapped over to Sousuke. “Did you do something to him?”

“No,” Sousuke said. His voice was unusually subdued, the surprise threat of violence still fresh in his mind. “I thought we were starting to get along fine the last time I saw him.”

“Liar!” Haruka’s breath came in short gasps as he tried to break free of Makoto’s grasp.

“Haru-chan, calm down!” Nagisa pleaded. “Whatever Sou-chan did, I’m sure he’s really sorry. Right, Sou-chan?”

“I didn’t even do anything,” Sousuke retorted, regaining his composure.

Rin stepped forward, and he stopped before Haruka as he gave him a once-over. There was no logical explanation for the change in behavior, but he tried to find one anyway. It was as if his friend were a completely different person now. At least Haruka stopped struggling at his approach.

“Haru, talk to me,” he said. “What’s going on with you? Whatever happened, we can figure it out. This isn’t you; you don’t threaten people at all, let alone with a goddamn weapon.”

Haruka stared at him, blue eyes wide as he compared the man before him to the prince he knew so well. The soft tone of voice that had been reserved only for him was identical, and the way Rin’s eyes nearly begged for some kind of explanation were just as impossible to deny. Despite the uncanny similarities, Haruka reminded himself that this couldn’t be his prince, just like the Makoto who was preventing him from gutting Yamazaki was not his lifelong friend.

“Get him out of my sight,” Haruka said through clenched teeth as his gaze flicked to Sousuke. “I have nothing to say as long as he’s present.”

* * *

 

“Makoto, wait!”

Haru’s words fell on deaf ears as he was pulled through twisting alleyways. He had to be dreaming; that was the only rational explanation. He’d somehow made it home after practice and was asleep in his bathtub, and Makoto would certainly scold him for it in the morning if he didn’t wake up before then.

He couldn’t keep track of where they were heading – even if he were familiar with the city, the sharp turns had thrown off his sense of direction pretty early – but when Makoto slowed and pulled him into a small building, he finally started to check his breath.  The shop was dimly lit with candles and gas lights, and the scent of incense and spices permeated the air to the point where Haru found it dizzying. The mop of blond hair that came into view as the proprietor jumped up from behind the counter was almost welcoming, though.

“You’re okay!” the merchant exclaimed, rushing forward. “I heard Captain Yamazaki and his men were chasing you, but Rei lost sight of them about an hour ago.” He paused, and his grin slid into a perplexed frown. “Why are you dressed like that?”

“They did something to him, Nagisa,” Makoto said. “When I found him, he was wearing these strange clothes, and he doesn’t even remember who he is.”

“I know who I am,” Haru said flatly.

“I think the Captain had an enchanter with him,” Makoto continued. “Maybe they did something to make him stand out and wiped his memory at the same time.”

“I have just the thing.” Nagisa brightened instantly and disappeared through a thin curtain into the back of the shop, only to return a moment later with a small bottle. “This is one of my more expensive recipes, but I’ll give you a special price because we’re such good friends.”

“Nagisa, we don’t have time to barter over this,” Makoto argued. “If we don’t get him back into the palace before the Prince realizes what happened, then things are going to get bad. Do you remember what happened last time he thought he lost Haruka? He cut our water supply in _half_ until he found him. We barely had enough to keep ourselves alive for almost a month!”

Haru listened to the exchange as the two argued over whatever was in the bottle. It didn’t look appealing in the least, and he decided that he wanted nothing to do with the yellow-green liquid. Instead, he took a moment to examine the other wares, growing more confused at the seemingly random items strewn about the place. Makoto’s words were troublesome, though. Was he supposed to be some sort of prisoner or property of this prince that had them so worried? If so, then he wanted nothing to do with him either.

“Fine, but you owe me two loaves of sweet bread for this,” Nagisa said, drawing Haru’s attention back to the debate.

“Deal.” Makoto smiled the same smile that Haru had seem pretty much every day of his life, and he wanted more than anything to just wake up. As Nagisa handed over the vial, Makoto turned and offered it in turn. “This should help you remember everything. Just drink it quickly, because I’m sure it tastes awful.”

“Hey! My potions are delicious!”

“I’m not drinking that,” Haru said. The Makoto he knew would have simply given him a look of disapproval and let the matter drop, but this one stared at him with determination. “I said _no_.”

“Then how are you supposed to remember everything so we can get you back into the palace?” Nagisa asked.

“I’m not going to the palace either,” Haru said. He wasn’t going to put forth the effort to argue the point either, despite the looks of surprise they threw at him. “I’m going home.”

“Haruka,” Makoto said gently. “The palace _is_ your home.”


End file.
